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Taliban orders NGOs to ban female employees from coming to work

Afghanistan's Taliban rulers ordered all national and international NGOs to stop their women employees from working after "serious complaints" they were not observing a proper dress code, the Ministry of Economy told the media outlets on Saturday. "There have been serious complaints regarding the non-observance of the Islamic hijab and other rules and regulations pertaining to the work of females in national and international organisations," said a notification sent to all NGOs.

Reuters ASIA
Published December 24,2022
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Afghanistan's Taliban-run administration on Saturday ordered all local and foreign non-governmental organisations (NGO) to stop female employees from coming to work, according to an economy ministry letter, in the latest crackdown on women's freedoms.

The letter, confirmed by economy ministry spokesperson Abdulrahman Habib, said the female employees were not allowed to work until further notice because some had not adhered to the administration's interpretation of the dress code for women.

It was not immediately clear whether the order applied to United Nations agencies, which have a significant presence in Afghanistan.

It comes days after the Taliban-run administration ordered universities to close to women, prompting strong global condemnation and sparking some protests and heavy criticism inside Afghanistan.